About Thomas
Thomas Abt is a prominent expert on reducing urban violence. As a Senior Fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice, he focuses on developing practical, evidence-based solutions to a major societal issue. In his book, Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence—and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets, Abt presents “smart-on-crime” strategies that don’t require large budgets or new laws. His work shows that effective violence reduction is possible by using existing resources more wisely. Before his current role, Abt held several key government positions. As Deputy Secretary for Public Safety in New York, he oversaw the state’s criminal justice and homeland security agencies and helped create the GIVE (Gun-Involved Violence Elimination) Initiative. He also served as the Chief of Staff for the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he played a major role in creating the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. This program brings together government agencies and local communities to combat youth and gang violence. His career highlights a consistent dedication to public safety through intelligent and collaborative strategies.
